My Hero Academia: The Promises We Make

Chapter 12: Promises

The clicking grew louder down the cavern hallway, the voices distinctly taking shape as the figures approached.

"And this shall be my empire. A new kingdom born from blood that will leach its shadows into the chaos above."

The shadow man spread his arms wide, as a hoard of undesirables followed him, listening to his monologue.

Clay and I peaked our heads out into the corridor, welcoming him with clenched hands and ragged breath.

"Ah, hello my children."

He clicked over closer to us, wrapping his arms around our shoulders, the touch light and cold.

As he released us, he turned around to face his legion.

"I come bearing your siblings! Brothers in arms!"

His body racked as he suppressed a series of coughs.

"You all belong here now, so please make yourselves at home!"

At the shadow man's invitation, the hoard started to disperse, setting out to scavenge the tunnels that Clay and I had built, nesting and infesting them like sewer rats. It was all so overwhelming.

I scanned the faces, one by one as they passed before us. On the outside, one would never guess that these people had anything in common at all. But a derelict can always spot another. We were all used to walking the back alleys...living in the shadows.

As blurred personas walked around me, my breath halted as I caught sight of a familiar set of slitted yellow eyes. Next to him, was a man with severely rugged features, and dark patches of blue and purple all over his body.

Clay had noticed them too.

Her anger was palpable, and I felt the ground tremor.

"You."

The two men halted, their feet frozen to the ground, as the last of the blurred faces retreated beyond the corner.

I saw sweat dripping down the corners of their brows. Our last encounter still fresh on their minds... and ours.

"Oh, I see you've met already then?" The shadow man walked up to Clay patting her on the shoulder, all but immune to the cold fury that emanated from her.

She didn't say a word.

"Ssssssshe's the one! She did it!" The lizard man's words leaked out, all but affirming his reptilian nature.

The cavern resounded in boisterous laughs which was quickly followed by racked retching.

"I see I taught you well my dear! These men were all shattered bones and bruises when I found them, well done."

The words floated in the air, and I couldn't help but let part of myself relax at his praise.

"Well done?"

Clay's voice was sharp. And any content I felt evaporated with the heat of her rage.

The shadow man removed his hand from her shoulder, his carefree demeanor quickly shifting to match her.

"Did he tell you why they got their asses handed to them?"

Her eyes were trained on the two, unyielding.

"Yes."

The shock of his bluntness caused Clay to lose her focus. The ground she held at their feet released, and the two fiends were not dumb enough to waste an opportunity. They ran, disappearing in the darkness behind the corner.